WEBVTT - HR2: Live from Training Camp 2026 Day 13 0:00:00.160 --> 0:00:04.800 Or the Steelers Audio Network presented by bud Light, easy 0:00:04.880 --> 0:00:07.520 to drink, easy to enjoy, and brought to you in 0:00:07.600 --> 0:00:11.760 part by Always Safe Flagging and Traffic Control making traffic 0:00:11.840 --> 0:00:14.880 safe again called four one two three oh one twenty 0:00:14.960 --> 0:00:19.000 three hundred, or visit us online at awsafe dot net 0:00:19.040 --> 0:00:22.720 for a quote today by FedEx, the new power Move 0:00:23.079 --> 0:00:28.240 Independence health System expert care here, Remax Select Realty Visit 0:00:28.320 --> 0:00:33.080 Remax Select Pittsburgh dot com. The Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania 0:00:33.200 --> 0:00:37.200 visit go Laurel Highlands dot com. The Steelers Pro Shop 0:00:37.520 --> 0:00:42.960 visitshop dot Steelers dot com and buy Condiente Pizza and Drafthouse. 0:00:46.280 --> 0:00:48.879 Our number two of the drive here live on campus 0:00:48.880 --> 0:00:51.560 of course, at Saint Vincent College, all part of our 0:00:51.600 --> 0:00:55.400 ongoing training camp coverage out here in beautiful Lake Trobe. 0:00:55.480 --> 0:00:58.600 Another beautiful day today. Steelers got out there early, a 0:00:58.680 --> 0:01:02.240 lighter practice to more to go, Matt. I would imagine 0:01:02.240 --> 0:01:05.000 they'll be a little more ramped up than they were today, probably, 0:01:05.080 --> 0:01:07.240 but you also never know. It's a it's a new year, 0:01:07.280 --> 0:01:10.640 it's a new system. Looks like there's some potentially some 0:01:10.720 --> 0:01:12.880 home run derby or some stuff going on over there, 0:01:12.959 --> 0:01:14.440 right now, I don't know if that's the Saint Vincent 0:01:14.480 --> 0:01:15.360 team or if that's some of that. 0:01:15.400 --> 0:01:16.840 I don't know if that's the Steelers or not. I 0:01:16.920 --> 0:01:17.480 bet it's not. 0:01:17.680 --> 0:01:20.200 I don't think it is, actually, because right now, Matt 0:01:20.280 --> 0:01:23.280 actually down to our right at the Fred Rodgers Center 0:01:23.280 --> 0:01:25.279 at the bottom of the hill, Keanu Benten is doing 0:01:25.319 --> 0:01:29.440 his extension press conference as we speed right now, Keanu 0:01:29.480 --> 0:01:32.039 Bettan's at the podium down there. Maybe we can get 0:01:32.080 --> 0:01:34.280 you some of that audio in the next two hours, 0:01:34.280 --> 0:01:35.560 better before week before we. 0:01:35.560 --> 0:01:39.080 Imagine being a yeah, signing that extension. Yeah, I mean, 0:01:39.280 --> 0:01:41.560 so there's life changing stuff. I mean, it happens all 0:01:41.560 --> 0:01:45.120 the time in sports, but just forget these are young men. 0:01:45.280 --> 0:01:47.120 Was he twenty six or something like that, and it gets 0:01:47.120 --> 0:01:50.760 to sign an eighteen million dollars deal and congratulations. 0:01:50.080 --> 0:01:52.000 It's pretty cool. And obviously I don't know if you 0:01:52.040 --> 0:01:54.000 saw this stuff, Matt, but I don't think anyone's more 0:01:54.040 --> 0:01:57.200 fired up than Nick Herbig, who also signed his extension 0:01:57.240 --> 0:01:58.560 earlier this summer. Those two are best. 0:01:58.880 --> 0:01:59.800 It's cost best. 0:02:00.360 --> 0:02:03.760 They go back to college time together. And Benton was 0:02:03.760 --> 0:02:06.640 at Herbig's press conference after he signed his deal. Herbig 0:02:06.720 --> 0:02:10.240 is down there right now, sitting in for Benton's those 0:02:10.280 --> 0:02:13.520 two best friends, Badgers and Badgers. And yet, hey, if 0:02:13.520 --> 0:02:16.239 they both end up playing out every year of their extension, Matt, 0:02:16.280 --> 0:02:19.799 that'd be you know, over a decade that they ended 0:02:19.880 --> 0:02:22.200 up playing from college to the pros with your best friend. 0:02:22.200 --> 0:02:22.840 That's pretty cool. 0:02:23.000 --> 0:02:24.400 That's really cool. I hadn't thought of. 0:02:24.360 --> 0:02:28.040 That, Matt. Thursday night, the Steelers first preseason game and 0:02:28.200 --> 0:02:31.359 twenty eight to nine victory over the Green Bay Packers 0:02:31.680 --> 0:02:33.920 plenty to like. There are some things that need cleaned up, 0:02:33.960 --> 0:02:36.760 as always, but I think we certainly left there all 0:02:36.800 --> 0:02:40.640 of us with positive vibes and thoughts in those things 0:02:41.400 --> 0:02:45.119 from the first preseason game, most notably, Matt, because one, 0:02:45.240 --> 0:02:47.359 you got through it without any major injuries, which is 0:02:47.360 --> 0:02:49.840 always maybe the first boxing you want to check. And 0:02:49.919 --> 0:02:52.040 number two because we finally got our first look at 0:02:52.080 --> 0:02:54.320 the two young quarterbacks and they did not disappoint. 0:02:54.639 --> 0:02:57.679 They sure didn't. And I think we can lump. I 0:02:57.720 --> 0:02:59.680 guess we had got to start with the quarterbacks. 0:02:59.320 --> 0:03:01.160 Right, I think so. I was trying to when we 0:03:01.160 --> 0:03:03.080 were in break. I was like, oh, literally want to start. 0:03:03.400 --> 0:03:05.120 Everyone's talking about the quarterbacks. 0:03:05.320 --> 0:03:05.480 You know. 0:03:05.560 --> 0:03:08.000 My producer Bran kicks in. I'm like, let's do something different. 0:03:08.040 --> 0:03:09.799 And then I'm like, no, you idiot, Like that's the story. 0:03:09.840 --> 0:03:10.239 Talk about it. 0:03:10.880 --> 0:03:13.720 Lead the special penalties, you know, right. 0:03:13.600 --> 0:03:15.480 I had this, you'll like this. I had this, U, 0:03:15.960 --> 0:03:18.120 I had this. Alex he was the GM of the 0:03:18.120 --> 0:03:20.760 college radio station when I was in Morgantown, and he 0:03:20.800 --> 0:03:22.880 was probably in his forties and had worked in radio 0:03:22.960 --> 0:03:25.480 forever and was a good dude. Yeah, And I remember 0:03:25.480 --> 0:03:27.239 one time he said to us, he was like, never 0:03:27.320 --> 0:03:29.480 try and bury the story. He's like, when you turn 0:03:29.520 --> 0:03:32.040 on the news at night, they're not like, all five 0:03:32.080 --> 0:03:34.760 people got shot downtown. We'll talk about that in twenty minutes, 0:03:34.840 --> 0:03:37.280 you know, like they lead with it. The biggest story 0:03:37.280 --> 0:03:38.920 of the day is what you lead with. And the 0:03:38.960 --> 0:03:40.800 biggest story from Thursday night is the play of the 0:03:40.840 --> 0:03:41.720 two young quarterbacks. 0:03:42.560 --> 0:03:45.160 And I want to lump Mason Rudolph in there too, 0:03:45.200 --> 0:03:47.920 because first off, this to sound like I'm being negative 0:03:48.040 --> 0:03:50.600 towards these three quarterbacks. By no means am. I I 0:03:50.720 --> 0:03:53.800 was very, very impressed with the three of them. All 0:03:53.840 --> 0:03:57.080 are in particular, I thought really out kicked my expectations, 0:03:57.120 --> 0:03:59.000 you know, considering he's the youngest of the group. I 0:03:59.000 --> 0:04:01.160 think he's the most rat of the group, and maybe 0:04:01.200 --> 0:04:04.560 he was the most consistent of the group, but collectively, 0:04:04.600 --> 0:04:07.800 all three of them did really, really well. Now what 0:04:07.840 --> 0:04:10.640 I'm going with with this is, first off, I want 0:04:10.640 --> 0:04:13.120 to recognize I thought the Packers' defense that they put 0:04:13.120 --> 0:04:15.280 out there was pretty darn poor, especially as the game 0:04:15.320 --> 0:04:17.960 went on. Their depth issues are problematic. There were some 0:04:18.000 --> 0:04:20.520 blown coverages, but you gotta take advantage of that stuff. 0:04:21.480 --> 0:04:23.799 But where I'm going with this, to me, the lead, 0:04:24.480 --> 0:04:28.560 and it's easy just to look at quarterbacks and draft 0:04:28.600 --> 0:04:31.560 doll players. To me, the lead is the work McCarthy's 0:04:31.600 --> 0:04:36.040 done with that position. I mean, the efficiency, the crispness. 0:04:36.160 --> 0:04:40.840 You can see how well they've been instructed behind the 0:04:40.880 --> 0:04:45.040 scenes and on this field, and even his play calling 0:04:45.080 --> 0:04:47.960 has a different flavor to it, and throwing over the middle. 0:04:48.200 --> 0:04:51.400 And I've used the word efficient for the quarterback play 0:04:51.400 --> 0:04:54.599 and the passing game overall nine thousand times since the 0:04:54.640 --> 0:04:58.760 game endedish and of fish and efficient, crisp. Everyone's very 0:04:58.800 --> 0:05:03.080 confident in their read on time. When plays break down, 0:05:03.160 --> 0:05:05.880 they don't become disasters, you know. I mean, it's just 0:05:07.000 --> 0:05:09.080 the fact that was if one of them looked great, 0:05:09.200 --> 0:05:10.880 and the other two were. I don't want any of 0:05:10.880 --> 0:05:12.680 that kind of all over the place. I don't think 0:05:12.680 --> 0:05:15.520 I'd be calling out McCarthy and praising him first and foremost. 0:05:15.960 --> 0:05:19.000 The fact that all of them were not carbon copies 0:05:19.040 --> 0:05:22.440 of each other, but played to their strengths really operated 0:05:22.480 --> 0:05:26.720 the offense, I think, really screams that this coaching staff 0:05:26.760 --> 0:05:28.719 has changed things and is making an impact. 0:05:29.560 --> 0:05:32.800 That's a very that's a very good observation from you. 0:05:32.839 --> 0:05:35.000 I'm with you on that one, because you're right. If 0:05:35.040 --> 0:05:37.400 it was just Mason Rudolph, or if it was just 0:05:37.720 --> 0:05:41.440 Drew Aller, then you you could make five unbelievable right, 0:05:41.560 --> 0:05:43.200 But it is easy to forget because all the attention 0:05:43.320 --> 0:05:45.560 was on the two young guys. And I'm not gonna 0:05:45.600 --> 0:05:47.760 call will Will Howard a rookie, but it is almost 0:05:47.760 --> 0:05:51.560 like the two rookie time. But Mason Rudolph ten for eleven, 0:05:51.720 --> 0:05:55.159 nice and efficient h A twenty five all three quarterbacks. 0:05:55.200 --> 0:05:57.640 Matt had an explosive completion too. 0:05:57.720 --> 0:05:59.400 Yeah, they drove the ball down the field, they went 0:05:59.440 --> 0:06:01.040 fourth and fourth down, They threw in the middle of 0:06:01.040 --> 0:06:02.800 the field. They shut the guys up for run after 0:06:02.800 --> 0:06:03.239 the catch. 0:06:03.400 --> 0:06:07.440 You know. Four explosive plays in the past game, plus 0:06:07.760 --> 0:06:10.160 a nineteen yard of de Ben's chronic So that's that's 0:06:10.160 --> 0:06:13.120 about a yard away from being a fifth explosive in 0:06:13.160 --> 0:06:15.120 the past game, because of course that's a twenty or 0:06:15.160 --> 0:06:17.800 plus yard reception. For those of you who are new 0:06:17.839 --> 0:06:20.240 and have not heard, Matt and I lament explosives to 0:06:20.320 --> 0:06:25.359 death here over the offseason. Also, though no explosives for 0:06:25.400 --> 0:06:27.760 Green Bay on offense, the Steelers defense did not give 0:06:27.800 --> 0:06:30.240 up an explosive in the run game ten or more yards, 0:06:30.320 --> 0:06:32.240 did not give up an explosive in the past game, 0:06:32.360 --> 0:06:34.720 or for twenty of our more yards or a touchdown 0:06:35.000 --> 0:06:37.479 for that matter. But talk to me about those those 0:06:37.520 --> 0:06:41.760 two young quarterbacks. We'll go. Let's go in chronological order here. 0:06:42.960 --> 0:06:45.600 The thing that I really liked about Will Howard is 0:06:45.640 --> 0:06:49.440 Matt I was kind of waiting to see just what 0:06:49.560 --> 0:06:52.680 his nerves, what his body language looked like, because. 0:06:52.440 --> 0:06:53.960 I think this was like a rookie moment. 0:06:54.279 --> 0:06:56.600 I think it would have been understandable for him. He's 0:06:56.640 --> 0:06:59.000 been sitting and waiting for a year and a half. Remember, 0:06:59.040 --> 0:07:03.599 he hasn't played a football game since Ohio State beat 0:07:03.640 --> 0:07:06.960 Notre Dame for the national championship in January of twenty 0:07:07.000 --> 0:07:07.599 twenty five. 0:07:07.760 --> 0:07:08.880 Yeah, I mean that's a lot long. 0:07:09.520 --> 0:07:12.960 That's a long time ago. And since then the Steelers 0:07:12.960 --> 0:07:15.480 went out and drafted a third round quarterback behind him. 0:07:16.040 --> 0:07:18.320 I think it would have been very understandable if he 0:07:18.400 --> 0:07:21.400 was like so, he sails a couple of throws, he 0:07:21.480 --> 0:07:24.920 makes a mental, is just so jacked up, so excited, 0:07:24.960 --> 0:07:27.400 so ready to go that he almost overplays it. 0:07:27.520 --> 0:07:29.360 And you were there, I'm sure the crowd really reacted 0:07:29.400 --> 0:07:31.840 when the second and they did for both young guys. 0:07:32.720 --> 0:07:34.920 You know, the second he runs out there, they now 0:07:35.080 --> 0:07:38.280 entering the game, number eighteen out in the place goes 0:07:38.360 --> 0:07:41.240 nuts and it's like, okay, here we go. Let's see 0:07:41.240 --> 0:07:42.800 how this is gonna look. And it's a two minute 0:07:42.880 --> 0:07:45.480 drill opportunity for him in there at the end of 0:07:45.520 --> 0:07:46.320 the second quarter too. 0:07:46.440 --> 0:07:48.239 I think that was his highlight if it was running 0:07:48.240 --> 0:07:49.080 the two minutes. 0:07:49.000 --> 0:07:51.160 If he would have came out and had some jitters, 0:07:51.240 --> 0:07:54.520 had some nerves, maybe fire to pass too long, maybe 0:07:54.840 --> 0:07:57.760 a short route he guns it in there too heavy. Yeah, 0:07:57.800 --> 0:07:59.840 I would have understood it. He's been championed at the 0:08:00.120 --> 0:08:01.560 for a year and a half to get back out 0:08:01.560 --> 0:08:03.720 on the field, but I thought he looked cool, calm 0:08:03.720 --> 0:08:05.320 and collected. I was very impressed by that. 0:08:05.480 --> 0:08:07.440 I thought so too, And again I thought that was 0:08:07.480 --> 0:08:09.720 on most display during the two minute drill. I thought 0:08:09.760 --> 0:08:13.480 he handled that very very well, had a real strong understanding. 0:08:13.880 --> 0:08:16.040 Now that's something they practice out here a lot. I mean, 0:08:16.040 --> 0:08:18.840 this staff is very into the two minute drill before. 0:08:18.840 --> 0:08:21.200 I forget the defense didn't hold up so well in 0:08:21.200 --> 0:08:23.640 the two minute drill after Howard's two minute drill, So 0:08:24.240 --> 0:08:26.360 half of the two minute stuff went well, half didn't. 0:08:27.240 --> 0:08:29.240 Another thing that really stood out to me with Howard 0:08:29.880 --> 0:08:32.000 that has to be part of his game because he's 0:08:32.080 --> 0:08:35.080 not as gifted of a thrower. Of the four of them, 0:08:35.160 --> 0:08:37.160 he's the least gifted thrower and by no means as 0:08:37.160 --> 0:08:39.520 he rogers, and he's not really close to Aller in 0:08:39.600 --> 0:08:44.840 terms of arm talent. But when he has to move 0:08:44.840 --> 0:08:49.200 his feet and reset, he did that really well without 0:08:49.240 --> 0:08:55.559 having to totally you know, start from scratch. Yeah, I mean, 0:08:56.080 --> 0:08:59.600 like Brady's the best example ever of just little subtle 0:08:59.679 --> 0:09:03.240 moves and not having to you know, reset my entire 0:09:03.320 --> 0:09:07.560 mechanics and being able to throw on platform despite being 0:09:07.600 --> 0:09:09.760 moved off my spot. You know, I thought that that's 0:09:09.760 --> 0:09:12.200 something that's going to have to happen for him, because 0:09:12.200 --> 0:09:14.920 if you're Mahomes or Rogers or whatever, and I get 0:09:14.960 --> 0:09:17.520 moved off my spot and I'm not in a comfortable position, 0:09:18.120 --> 0:09:21.560 I may throw this crazy sight arm laser that only 0:09:21.600 --> 0:09:24.440 superheroes can do, you know. So that was something that 0:09:24.480 --> 0:09:30.559 stood out to me. Accuracy in general composure great, Yeah. 0:09:30.760 --> 0:09:34.400 I was very impressed. Yeah, seven of nine eighty six 0:09:34.480 --> 0:09:38.000 yards almost had the touchdown pass but was was ruled 0:09:38.040 --> 0:09:41.560 down upon further review and then hammered home by Lou Nichols. 0:09:41.679 --> 0:09:42.199 But I liked that. 0:09:42.280 --> 0:09:45.160 And that was another one. I mean, some of it 0:09:45.240 --> 0:09:46.920 was the play never should have lasted as long as 0:09:46.920 --> 0:09:48.200 it did. But it felt like that play went off 0:09:48.200 --> 0:09:50.320 for like ten seconds, like he was like doing his 0:09:50.360 --> 0:09:52.960 bend impersonation. He shrugged off a guy and you're right. 0:09:52.880 --> 0:09:55.280 Yep, absolutely right, and then found the open man right, 0:09:55.280 --> 0:09:57.520 and he had kind of slipped him between the coverage 0:09:57.559 --> 0:10:00.439 of the defense. And then more on Bernard later by 0:10:00.440 --> 0:10:02.640 the way, Oh, we're gonna have more on the receivers 0:10:02.640 --> 0:10:05.360 and some of these running backs too. But Drew Aller 0:10:05.400 --> 0:10:09.319 then comes in and obviously, once again the anticipation rises, 0:10:09.320 --> 0:10:11.680 the place is ready to go, and I think not 0:10:11.880 --> 0:10:13.760 quite to the extent of Howard, But I also would 0:10:13.800 --> 0:10:16.239 have understood if there would be some nerves, some miscues, 0:10:16.440 --> 0:10:19.280 some misfires, and Matt he goes. 0:10:19.120 --> 0:10:21.160 Ten long times. Does he played the game too, because. 0:10:22.440 --> 0:10:25.040 That's a really good point, ten of thirteen, one hundred 0:10:25.040 --> 0:10:28.240 and fifty three yards. Of course, the two touchdown passes 0:10:28.360 --> 0:10:32.080 and the touchdown run. It is as you mentioned, it 0:10:32.200 --> 0:10:34.400 is not like the Green Bay Packers defense was bathing 0:10:34.440 --> 0:10:35.559 themselves in glory. 0:10:35.600 --> 0:10:36.199 No they weren't. 0:10:36.200 --> 0:10:37.760 And you always have the footnote of you know, he's 0:10:37.760 --> 0:10:40.320 playing against third and four stringers, of course, But every 0:10:40.320 --> 0:10:42.680 time I start to think that, I remember our, our, 0:10:42.679 --> 0:10:44.880 our good friend Ton Jolkin, who used to always say, hey, 0:10:45.000 --> 0:10:47.080 that's the first step. If you can't beat the stiffs, 0:10:47.320 --> 0:10:49.640 you are a stiff yep, you gotta start somewhere. 0:10:49.800 --> 0:10:51.679 Yeah, look like you belong and you start beating up 0:10:51.679 --> 0:10:53.400 on the guys that are borderline players. 0:10:53.400 --> 0:10:55.400 And Drew Aller looked like he belonged and was beaten 0:10:55.480 --> 0:10:57.000 up on some borderline players. 0:10:57.400 --> 0:11:00.000 To a degree I never would have expected to be honest, 0:11:00.440 --> 0:11:03.000 I thought he was tremendous again, I thought he went 0:11:03.040 --> 0:11:06.160 through his reads extremely well. Yes, he got a lot 0:11:06.160 --> 0:11:10.360 of yardage to Wigian on a quick hitter, but if 0:11:10.400 --> 0:11:12.000 you watch that play, and I do want to watch 0:11:12.000 --> 0:11:13.760 it again, I was talking to Chris Hallick about this. 0:11:14.480 --> 0:11:17.960 It looked like the ball was snapped or even pre snap. 0:11:18.640 --> 0:11:21.040 He's dropping back and I think he wanted to go 0:11:21.080 --> 0:11:25.280 to a tight end first and even and he got 0:11:25.320 --> 0:11:28.600 off at number one immediately knowing the slant was there 0:11:28.720 --> 0:11:31.040 because there was a linebacker that was in his path, 0:11:31.600 --> 0:11:34.200 so before he even got to the top of his drop. 0:11:34.200 --> 0:11:35.680 And I need to think about the play again. I 0:11:35.679 --> 0:11:37.800 can't remember for he's a shotgun or not, but it 0:11:37.840 --> 0:11:40.200 really became decision time. It was not late in the 0:11:40.280 --> 0:11:41.840 down at all. And by the way, his time to 0:11:41.880 --> 0:11:43.800 throw was very low. You think of him being a 0:11:43.800 --> 0:11:46.880 big arm run around. It was quick, quick, quick, quick, quick, 0:11:47.280 --> 0:11:50.800 and he still got to his second read hits wigion 0:11:50.840 --> 0:11:53.160 and stride. He did the rest, of course, and we'll 0:11:53.160 --> 0:11:55.199 talk about him a lot, I'm sure too, but it's 0:11:55.240 --> 0:11:58.840 just a good example of Yeah, it's not real complex 0:11:59.679 --> 0:12:04.680 route combinations yet either against not real complex defenses, of course, 0:12:05.440 --> 0:12:09.440 but boom, he's really crisp, and again his time to 0:12:09.520 --> 0:12:11.600 throw being as low as it was and still putting 0:12:11.679 --> 0:12:15.000 up those kind of numbers without nickel and Diamondya was 0:12:15.600 --> 0:12:16.120 says a lot. 0:12:16.160 --> 0:12:21.000 I think those two matt had the kind of the 0:12:21.040 --> 0:12:24.640 composure of what you would expect from Mason Rudolph. You know, yeah, 0:12:24.720 --> 0:12:27.400 you expect Mason Rudolph to be a professional quarterback. He's 0:12:27.440 --> 0:12:29.360 not gonna be perfect out there, but he's a pro. 0:12:29.440 --> 0:12:31.240 He's been in this league. He knows what he's doing 0:12:31.559 --> 0:12:34.160 m and there. And I don't mean this as like 0:12:34.200 --> 0:12:35.920 a knock to Mason. I mean this is a credit 0:12:35.960 --> 0:12:38.760 to the two young guys. It was seamless from Mason 0:12:38.800 --> 0:12:42.360 to those two. Yeah, you had some penalty stuff that 0:12:42.400 --> 0:12:43.960 we need to talk about, and we will at some 0:12:43.960 --> 0:12:45.240 point when we get into some of the things you 0:12:45.280 --> 0:12:47.200 want to see cleaned up from Thursday night. But when 0:12:47.240 --> 0:12:50.600 you break that penalty stuff down, of like the eleven penalties, 0:12:50.880 --> 0:12:52.880 I think six or seven were on special teams. 0:12:52.720 --> 0:12:54.199 I say a lot. We're on special teams and they 0:12:54.200 --> 0:12:54.960 were early. 0:12:54.720 --> 0:12:57.400 And two were on Troy Foultanu early. It's not like 0:12:57.480 --> 0:12:59.680 it was procedural stuff. It's not like they were delayed 0:13:00.040 --> 0:13:03.360 couldn't get illegal because guys were lined up in the 0:13:03.480 --> 0:13:06.200 in the wrong spot. I really like that, like Howard 0:13:06.240 --> 0:13:09.560 and Aller had the same kind of cut of their 0:13:09.679 --> 0:13:12.480 jib in the same kind of operation as the guy 0:13:12.480 --> 0:13:14.080 who's been in this league for a decade as a 0:13:14.120 --> 0:13:16.880 backup and his professional and knows what he's doing. And 0:13:16.920 --> 0:13:19.320 that gets back to your your beginning point, which again 0:13:19.320 --> 0:13:21.439 I think is a really good one of Michael McCarthy 0:13:21.440 --> 0:13:24.760 knows what he's doing for quarterbacks and. 0:13:23.960 --> 0:13:26.000 And I'm sure Aaron Rodgers had some influence on that too. 0:13:26.080 --> 0:13:27.960 I think you see him coaching on that right. 0:13:28.240 --> 0:13:29.920 He certainly did, and you love to see that. And 0:13:29.960 --> 0:13:31.600 I think he even might have had a headset in 0:13:31.720 --> 0:13:34.720 or was involved with some of that stuff at different points. 0:13:34.960 --> 0:13:37.920 But for command, I mean they were in control. 0:13:38.040 --> 0:13:44.000 Good word to use, command control, comfortable professional quarterback play byes. 0:13:44.200 --> 0:13:47.360 You have officially signed. So the press conference must be over. 0:13:48.040 --> 0:13:50.640 Yes, it has, And in fact, I think our buddy 0:13:50.880 --> 0:13:53.760 Brian Becke of this radio network and of course Steelers 0:13:53.800 --> 0:13:57.920 dot Com just sent me some audio of the Keanu 0:13:57.960 --> 0:14:01.280 Benton press conference. So get a lot of different things 0:14:01.280 --> 0:14:03.880 going on today. But I think you have to be 0:14:03.920 --> 0:14:06.520 excited about that quarterback play. Now, I've seen some of 0:14:06.520 --> 0:14:09.440 this already, Matt. I've seen the Will Howard Drew Aller 0:14:09.559 --> 0:14:11.880 civil war starting on social media. 0:14:11.400 --> 0:14:14.200 And you know, you have to love one and hate 0:14:14.200 --> 0:14:14.480 the other. 0:14:14.600 --> 0:14:17.040 That's how it works in modern day sports. Right, one's 0:14:17.080 --> 0:14:19.200 the goat and the other is a bum. And I 0:14:19.240 --> 0:14:20.920 also too, you know, I always tell you this. 0:14:21.280 --> 0:14:23.480 Someone sent me a tweet after the game, like, do 0:14:23.480 --> 0:14:25.400 you know who Aler's picking for his Hall of Fame 0:14:25.880 --> 0:14:26.680 inductee yet? 0:14:27.200 --> 0:14:30.360 To who's he gonna have to give his speech? 0:14:30.440 --> 0:14:30.560 Right? 0:14:30.800 --> 0:14:32.280 Did he yet? That's funny? 0:14:33.920 --> 0:14:36.360 And I also I always tell you this. I a 0:14:36.360 --> 0:14:38.200 lot of times I have to take the foot off 0:14:38.240 --> 0:14:40.960 the gas when I try and gauge the consensus of 0:14:41.000 --> 0:14:44.320 the public off of social media, because social media is 0:14:44.360 --> 0:14:46.720 not the real world. Twitter and X and Instagram and 0:14:46.760 --> 0:14:49.760 Facebook and TikTok and all that is not the real world. 0:14:50.360 --> 0:14:55.200 But I I understand the hype. I want to see 0:14:55.200 --> 0:14:58.080 it continue to grow. And I think this is it's 0:14:58.600 --> 0:14:59.800 it's a good starting point. 0:15:00.000 --> 0:15:01.240 That especially a tremendous start. 0:15:01.400 --> 0:15:04.680 Tremendous starting. Yeah, it doesn't mean that both of those 0:15:04.680 --> 0:15:06.360 guys are capable and you're ready to get rid of 0:15:06.360 --> 0:15:08.760 Mason Rudolph. It doesn't mean that both of those guys 0:15:08.800 --> 0:15:10.920 can be a franchise type quarterback and all of a 0:15:10.920 --> 0:15:13.080 sudden we can close the book on potentially taking one 0:15:13.120 --> 0:15:14.160 in the first round next year. 0:15:14.240 --> 0:15:16.400 Yeah, I don't need do we need to stop the 0:15:16.760 --> 0:15:19.040 on campus segment quite yet, But what. 0:15:19.760 --> 0:15:21.720 It does matter is it also leaves all those doors 0:15:21.720 --> 0:15:23.080 wide open for opportunity. 0:15:23.160 --> 0:15:26.000 They're more open. I mean every day. Again, I always say, 0:15:26.200 --> 0:15:29.480 in this world, you're you stop swimming like a shark, 0:15:29.560 --> 0:15:32.640 you die, you know, so every day your value either 0:15:32.680 --> 0:15:35.360 goes up down or stay the same or whatever. But 0:15:35.400 --> 0:15:40.960 it's not monotonous. Over the price exactly and clearly one 0:15:41.040 --> 0:15:43.200 game and I don't think we even need the preface 0:15:43.200 --> 0:15:45.920 that first game, the preseason, and we know all those things. 0:15:46.000 --> 0:15:48.280 But you know, I'm not saying put them in Canton yet. 0:15:48.800 --> 0:15:52.040 But I'm even more open to you know what Jerry 0:15:52.040 --> 0:15:54.600 Doulak has been saying. I can understand a reason now 0:15:54.640 --> 0:15:57.120 you'd keep four, you know, I mean a little bit 0:15:57.160 --> 0:15:58.800 better than I did three days ago, you know what 0:15:58.880 --> 0:16:01.320 I mean. It doesn't mean I'm voting for that, but 0:16:02.480 --> 0:16:05.120 all these things are fluid, all right. 0:16:05.160 --> 0:16:06.800 But do you think Drew Aller will be first ballot 0:16:06.840 --> 0:16:08.320 or will they make them wait a couple of years, 0:16:08.400 --> 0:16:08.840 or that. 0:16:09.360 --> 0:16:10.480 He'll prove the wait a year. 0:16:10.680 --> 0:16:14.040 Yeah, have you ever seen the movie Finding Nemo? 0:16:14.640 --> 0:16:17.359 Of course, just keep swimming, just keep swimming. 0:16:17.160 --> 0:16:19.960 Just keep swimming. I want to see those two young 0:16:20.040 --> 0:16:21.360 quarterbacks do some more swimming. 0:16:21.480 --> 0:16:22.840 Yeah, they a lot more swimming. 0:16:22.640 --> 0:16:24.400 A couple more practices out here, and then of course 0:16:24.440 --> 0:16:27.960 another preseason opportunity Friday night against the Jets. We got 0:16:27.960 --> 0:16:29.680 to talk about some of these running backs. We've got 0:16:29.720 --> 0:16:31.880 to talk about some of these wide receivers, particularly two 0:16:31.960 --> 0:16:35.040 rookie ones. We've got to talk, unfortunately about some of 0:16:35.080 --> 0:16:39.200 those penalty issues that we saw. Plenty more to get 0:16:39.200 --> 0:16:42.280 into from that Steelers preseason game on Thursday night, of course, 0:16:42.320 --> 0:16:44.440 a twenty eight to nine win over at the Green 0:16:44.480 --> 0:16:47.080 Bay Packers, and will continue to dissect that thing as 0:16:47.080 --> 0:16:49.040 we roll along here in our number two of the show, 0:16:49.040 --> 0:16:51.640 West Sheeler Matt Williamson, It is the Dry Steelers Nation 0:16:51.800 --> 0:16:53.960 Radio on the Steelers Audio Network. 0:16:56.920 --> 0:17:00.640 Is live coverage Jumped down twenty twenty six Steelers training 0:17:00.720 --> 0:17:05.400 Camp on the Steelers Audio Network, presented by bud Light 0:17:05.720 --> 0:17:08.679 Easy to drink easy to enjoy and brought to you 0:17:08.760 --> 0:17:12.800 in part by Pennsylvania One Call Systems Dial eight one 0:17:12.920 --> 0:17:17.200 one before you dig SNT Bank People Forward Banking by 0:17:17.280 --> 0:17:21.159 Kalucy Chevrolet, serving the Pittsburgh area for over one hundred 0:17:21.160 --> 0:17:25.360 and eight years. Clearview Federal Credit Union for every touchdown 0:17:25.440 --> 0:17:28.960 the Black and Gold score. In twenty twenty six, Clearview 0:17:29.000 --> 0:17:32.119 will donate five hundred dollars to the Light of Life Mission. 0:17:32.520 --> 0:17:37.600 Visit CLEARVIEWFCU dot org and by Iron Workers Local Union 0:17:37.680 --> 0:17:42.920 Number three. We don't go to the office, we build it. 0:17:42.960 --> 0:17:44.959 So obviously Matt and I are starting to plan out 0:17:45.000 --> 0:17:47.080 the route for the Steelers' Super Bowl parade. 0:17:47.359 --> 0:17:48.720 Yeah, yeah, all these guys are the Hall of Fame. 0:17:48.760 --> 0:17:51.720 After that Thursday night victory against the Packers, our lime 0:17:51.760 --> 0:17:53.560 green line painting buddy, by the way, to give you 0:17:53.600 --> 0:17:55.960 all update is he did pretty well, Matt, far side 0:17:55.960 --> 0:17:57.200 of the field looks pretty. 0:17:56.920 --> 0:17:58.320 Good, looks like a successful mission. 0:17:58.320 --> 0:17:59.920 I think they're bringing them over to the Varsity field 0:18:00.080 --> 0:18:01.920 or now to see if he can continue his good work. 0:18:02.000 --> 0:18:03.800 So we'll continue to keep an eye on all things. 0:18:03.880 --> 0:18:05.600 Do they ever put numbers on that third field? I 0:18:05.640 --> 0:18:06.480 don't think they do. Right. 0:18:06.560 --> 0:18:08.879 I feel like they do it like the start of camp, 0:18:09.119 --> 0:18:11.160 but then they kind of fade quickly. 0:18:11.240 --> 0:18:13.359